From the Vicar

Over the past four years, our nation has been through a whole host of centenary remembrances related to World War 1.

We have observed the outbreak and all the major engagements, Ypres, the Somme, Gallipoli, Jutland, Verdun, Passchendaele, names that have become etched into our collective consciousness as desperate examples of the grim, horror of the war that they said would end all wars.

Now in 2018, we are able to commemorate the ending of that war in November 1918, an armistice that led on to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles eight months later.

The calendar has been very kind to us and in this historic centenary year, Armistice Day, 11th November, actually falls on Remembrance Sunday itself.

All our memorials and prayers of remembering can be focused on a single occasion. Even though first-hand memories of WWI are virtually non-existent now, we are rightly determined to remember with deep gratitude the ultimate sacrifice made by so many and to commit ourselves to building a safer, more just future for our world.

The local history groups have done an amazing job in researching the stories of our local fallen and the fruits of their hard work will be in evidence this month. All our churches will be observing the 100th anniversary in services both in and out of doors.

Our bell-ringing teams will be taking part in the national wave of ringing that will mark the day.

I invite you to join with many, many others in worship and memorial on Sunday 11th, as we mark this occasion and make our promise to play our part in making the world a better, safer place.